Besieged Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho has poured millions to save his little reputation, the editor of this site can confirm.
As at yesterday, the beleaguered governor spent millions to oil a Public Relations campaign aimed at discouraging those linking him to narcotics to tone down.
A few days ago, the governor wanted to write a statement to police that he had received death threats from deputy president William Ruto handlers but dropped the plans due to lack of enough evidence since the matter would have generated a lot of heat.
Deputy President William Ruto's handlers have since discovered that linking the former Kisauni MP to narcotics is his weak point and have been making public utterances that have put the governor in a compromising position.
Joho's attempt to fight Ruto by claiming that he is the most corrupt man seem to have backfired since Kenyans consider the narcotics accusations to be more serious than corruption. In a nutshell, Kenyans have accepted Ruto the way he is but will never forgive anyone linked to Narcotics.
In 2010, the late Prof George Saitoti named Joho as one of the high profile Kenyans whose alleged involvement in narcotics trade was under probe following a secret US dossier.
The then Trade Assistant Minister Harun Mwau, then Kisauni MP Hassan Joho, then Makadara MP Gidion ‘Sonko’ Mbuvi, and then Juja MP William Kabogo were named as the MPs who are being investigated over links to drug trafficking.
The late Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, who made the sensational announcement on the floor of Parliament , also said Mombasa businessman Ali Punjani was also being probed over trade in narcotics.
Rising on a point of order, Kisauni MP Joho defended himself and demanded that his name be expunged from the list because investigations were incomplete.
"I am saddened that the minister (Saitoti) can take this matter lightly and mention names in this House. I don’t need any favours. I don’t need to be assisted. I just want full force of [the] law to be applied even to myself," said Joho.
He added: "I don’t even know how these things look like."
In response, Saitoti, who looked bemused by Joho’s agitation, said under the law, those on the list should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Saitoti’s announcement ended a month of speculation over the identity of the individuals the US had fingered for alleged involvement in drug business.
US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger had handed over the dossier to the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) director PLO Lumumba on November 24 the same year , containing what is claimed to be proof of the alleged involvement of some prominent Kenyans in drug business.
The disclosures followed an edict by Kibaki ordering the police to arrest and prosecute alleged drug dealers without regard for their position in Government.
After Saitoti sensationally told a hushed Parliament the four MPs were under investigation for narcotics trade, Kabogo immediately claimed the minister had omitted the "wife of a very senior official" in Government from his list.
Saitoti said he was disclosing the names due to pressure from Parliament.
Pressure was also mounting on the Government from the public. Muslim leaders in Mombasa, which is most affected by drug addiction, had been calling on Saitoti to name those linked to drugs trade.
"Due to demands by Members of Parliament, I reluctantly table the names of other members accused of involvement in drug trafficking," he said.
A moment earlier Saitoti had told the House police officers who visited Mbuvi’s Parliament office , were looking for evidence of his possible involvement in drugs.
"Police are investigating Honourable Mbuvi since he is one of the people reported to be involved in drug trafficking," said Saitoti, as he admitted the anti-narcotics police violated the Makadara MP’s parliamentary privileges when they tried to interrogate him within the precincts of Parliament. He said the officers would be punished.
But just after Saitoti made his statement, Juja MP also sensationally claimed Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa and Kamukunji legislator Simon Mbugua were also in the dossier the US envoy handed over to KACC. The MPs claimed they were innocent, saying they were victims of political conspiracies and smear campaign.
Joho, the then Kisauni MP, was among those calling for the names of the alleged drug lords be disclosed, claimed he was a victim of a smear campaign.
With tears welling in his eyes, he said, "I have never dealt in drugs. I support the rule of law. If the Americans have evidence against us they have the right to come and pick us," Joho said angrily.
Wamalwa claimed that, "as a presidential aspirant" he believes he is a victim of "powerful forces out there" that he claims have fixed him.
Kabogo had claimed the Saboti MP is accused of assisting "a suspect waive Sh2 million duty on containers".
Quivering with emotion, the then Kamukunji MP said he has no clue how he came to be implicated in the dirty trade, and argued his name should not be dragged into the mess because Saitoti had not mentioned him.
As the war proceeds, Ruto's allies are expected to leak the US dossier implicating Joho.
To fight back, the former Kisauni MP and Mombasa governor Hassan Joho has sued governor Sang, Oscar Sudi, Didymus Barasa and Kimani Ichungwa to reduce the pressure and get gag orders against them since the trio has vowed to release more information.
We understand that millions have been dished out to various media houses like the Star to run PR narratives aimed at saving Joho as DP Ruto's handlers vow to finish him